1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a drywall or wallboard tape and joint compound dispenser or taping gun. More specifically, the present invention relates to a taping tool or taper for use in applying tape and joint compound to drywall or wallboard joints.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Taping tools or applicators have been in use in the drywall installation industry for many years. One manufacturer of such a device is Wallboard Tool Co., Inc. of Long Beach Calif., which has since as early as 1994, sold a product identified as the xe2x80x9cWal-Board xe2x80x98Quick-Loadxe2x80x99 Drywall Taper.xe2x80x9d The Wal-Board taper has a box or housing defining an interior chamber containing drywall joint compound. Drywall joint tape from a roll supply carried on the box is passed through the chamber in which it receives a coating of joint compound. The coated tape is then applied to a wallboard or drywall joint. The tool is refilled with the joint compound when necessary by opening the box cover, using both hands to lift the wet tape carefully away from the bottom of the chamber, and then adding a supply of joint compound to the chamber between the tape and the bottom of the chamber.
A self-loading drywall tape applicator is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,427. Drywall joint compound is supplied by a pump from a hopper to the joint compound chamber of the tool through which drywall tape is passed for the application of joint compound thereto and the subsequent application of the coated tape to a drywall joint.
The present invention is embodied in a tape gun for applying joint tape and joint compound to drywall joints. The taper is formed by a housing having opposed side walls spaced apart a width determined by the width of the drywall tape being applied, and peripheral top, bottom, and end walls. The housing defines therein a chamber for holding joint compound for application to the tape. The housing further defines an entrance slot in one end wall opening into the chamber for receiving tape for the application of joint compound thereto, and an exit slot for supplying tape with joint compound thereon to the drywall joint. The chamber has an upper arcuate top wall and a lower elongated bottom wall.
A tape lifter is swingably mounted in the housing chamber and extends into the chamber between the tape entrance slot and the tape exit slot. When the tape gun is in use, the lifter is positioned adjacent the lower chamber wall with the tape positioned between the lifter and the upper chamber wall.
For actuating the tape lifter, a handle is swingably mounted exteriorly on the housing and is operatively connected to the tape lifter for swinging the lifter to lift the tape and position it against the upper wall of the chamber. The handle retracts the lifter to position the same adjacent the bottom wall of the chamber.
The housing further defines in one wall a valved port through which joint compound is introduced into the chamber below the lifted tape. In this manner, joint compound can be supplied to the chamber through the port and below the tape for subsequent application to the tape as the tape passes through the slots for application to drywall joints.